For those of you that have never heard of Survey123, it is a simple and intuitive, form-centric data gathering solution for creating and analysing surveys. The application lets you create smart forms with simple and sophisticated features ranging from multiple choice questions to cascading selects. The survey allows field workers with mobile devices to capture data in any environment, with minimal training and quickly analyse the results to make more informed decisions.

To give you an idea of the functionality available within Survey123, I’d like to walk you through my 5 favourite features:

1. Cascading SelectsCascading Selects provide you with the ability to develop intuitive surveys. For example, if the user selects ‘Yes’ to ‘Do you require any training’, you will be presented with a list of additional questions. However, if the answer is ‘No’, then the questions will not be displayed. What I like about this feature is that it’s simple to implement and can be used in a variety of different scenarios. Not to mention the improvement to the user experience, because you aren’t overwhelmed with an endless list of questions.

2. HTML FormattingIt is now possible to change the look and the feel of individual words and phrases by inputting HTML code into individual cells. The HTML code is fairly easy to reference and if in doubt you can refer back to the ‘types’ tab in the spreadsheet for examples of code, so even a beginner can have a go at customising the smart form!

3. ConstraintsOne of my favourite features to implement is constraints and constraint messages. What this feature allows you to do is specify a range of values that the data must fall within or around. If the value falls outside of the defined range the application will display the constraint message and stop you from proceeding, unless the appropriate corrections have been made. This feature helps to limit human error and improve the quality of the data collected.

4. LocationIf you haven’t included a Geopoint question in your smart form, don’t worry! Your location information will still be captured in the application. The application will automatically create a location (SHAPE) column in the feature service layer which will populate when the data is collected. In comparison to some of our existing products, this is a very new approach as the emphasis has moved from a map-centric workflow to a form-centric one.

5. Supported PlatformsFinally, you will be glad to hear that Survey123 is supported on iOS, Android and Windows smartphones as well as a Windows, Mac and Linux machines. So what are you waiting for, have a go!

Additional resourcesNeed a little help formatting your smart form? We’ve got you covered, here.Navigate to the blog here to receive updates on the product.Having a few issues? Search and post your findings on our GitHub page here.